Lion's Pride
by Mega-Melfina
Summary: Squall is overburdened with Garden.  Seifer returns for a job.  Will Seifer be able to help Squall realize he's not alone?  SquallXSeifer
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Squally or anyone else from FF8. Sad, I know…

He sat up on the bed, pale skin gleaming in the moonlight. His body was rigid against the pillow. His face was expressionless, and his eyes gleamed with frost.

His eyes ticked over to the woman next to him, casually dressed in a nightshirt. Tears tracked glistening roads down her face.

_What am I supposed to say…?_ He caught the slim woman looking up at him.

"Squall, I can't do this anymore." Squall pinched the bridge of his nose. He wasn't going to deal with this.

He had been commander for months now, after the defeat of Ultimecia. He constantly worked, Headmaster Cid having left Balamb Garden permanently. Rinoa had been living with him in his private dormitory. But, apparently, he wasn't doing things right. Strangely enough, he felt nothing as Rinoa lifted her body off of his bed and went to the dresser.

"I can't love someone…who doesn't have emotions." She sobbed out, gathering her clothes. Squall watched her with gray eyes, unmoving.

Had he even ever loved Rinoa? He knew enough to protect her when she was a sorceress, but now…Her powers were gone and the world was at peace and he didn't know how he felt anymore. All he wanted was to work in his office, alone. He dreaded returning to his dormitory, knowing Rinoa would be there. She always seemed to expect something from him.

"I'm sorry, Rinoa. I don't know what to say." He forced the words out. He didn't really feel sorry. He felt nothing.

"God. You really are an Ice Prince." She glanced at him unhappily. He turned to look out the window at the half moon. He watched in silence as she put her clothes in a duffel bag, taken from underneath his bed. It was his, but he didn't say anything. At this point, he just wanted her gone.

He rose and helped her collect her things from the various rooms of the apartment. Minutes later, she had left the apartment, still teary. Squall wondered where she would go.

Sighing, he returned to his bed and sprawled out on top of the covers. How was he going to explain this to everyone else? He didn't want them in his personal life as it was. He tossed and turned for a few moments, then, realizing sleep was not going to come, he put on a white t-shirt and headed for his office. There were examinations to be graded.


	2. Chapter 2

Quistis knocked on the door of the office gently. She knew the Commander was in there, the door was closed and she could see a dim light on. It wasn't even 7:30 yet, and he was in there working. She shook her head, wondering just how long he had been in there. It seemed like a daily routine: every morning Quistis would find the young commander pouring himself into his Garden work, before the sun was up.

Quistis could easily see the changes coming over the young Squall Leonheart. Since Cid left Garden, Squall had felt it his duty to take over everything, from grading SeeD examinations to political encounters. It was too much for the 19 year old. His friends tried to encourage him to take a break, get away from it all, but he was stubborn. Same old Squall.

"Enter." Came the voice from inside, and Quistis pushed the door open, putting on her best motherly face, and strode to Squall's desk.

"Squall, we talked about this. You could really use some rest." She set down a stack on papers on his desk. She put a hand on her hip, gesturing to the paperwork. "Why don't you let me help with some of this?" Squall pursed his lips, frowning.

"This is my job. I can't let anyone down." His thoughts turned to Rinoa. Had he let her down? He guessed that was she left. He didn't know how to love her. He guessed he didn't really care.

"Squall?" Quistis snapped him out of his reverie. He looked up at her, placed a pale hand to his temple. Quistis noticed the ever-growing bags under his eyes.

"Please leave. I have work to take care of." He sighed out, his voice quiet. Quistis worriedly looked him over one last time before stepping out of the room.

He gazed up at the rotating Garden with apprehension. He hadn't been back since…well, you know. But now…Xu had asked him back. He'd argued, and make a good point about how he _did_ try to destroy the world. Xu laughed at him and said if he had any control over himself then, she would change her name to Wong McPanty. Seifer chuckled to himself. It was amazing how people were forgiving him for being the evil sorceress' lapdog.

Xu told him she could use him in a few menial tasks, nothing like SeeD, but a job none the less. Seifer jumped at the opportunity. He was unable to get employed anywhere important with a reputation like his. Besides, he would get to his Squall again.

His mind drifted when he thought of his rival. He hadn't seen him in half a year. Not that he really would have expected to hear anything from puberty boy, but he had to admit, without Squall to pick on, life seemed dull.

Taking a deep breath, he happily walked through the front gates of Balamb Garden.

_Finally…_he thought. _I feel like I'm home._

Squall put down the manilla folder he was looking through and put a hand to his forehead. He felt dizzy all of a head, black and white slots dotting his vision. He stood up to head back to his room when his vision went dark and he collapsed on the floor.

After receiving a briefing from Xu, Seifer went to go visit Squall. Xu mentioned that he would be in his office. Her tone of voice and worried expression unnerved Seifer.

He thought of how much he missed Squall on the ride up in the spacious elevator. He had been the only constant in his life. At the orphanage, at Garden, and across the world, Squall had been his rival. Seifer looked forward to his battles with him.

Seifer scoffed at himself as he realized he had sweaty palms. What was he, some stupid nervous puberty boy?

_What if he doesn't accept you?_ Seifer's own voice startled him. Since when did he worry about making impressions? Since when did he worry what people thought of him?

_Since the Lion touched you in way you can't understand…_That stopped Seifer in his tracks. What the hell was he talking about? It's not like he was attracted to the little Ice Prince.

Laughing, he shook of his thoughts. He just wanted to pick on the little Lion. He reached the office door. Through the frosted glass, he could see a light and a large desk. He knocked, preparing to surprise Leonheart when he opened the door. He waited. There was no answer.

"Hmmm…" Seifer thought to himself. He roughly threw the door open, grinning widely, waiting to see Squall's expression. Instead he found himself staring at a lifeless Squall, slumped on the floor.

"Shit!" Seifer yelled, kneeling beside the unconscious boy. Placing two fingers against his wrist, he discovered a pulse, slightly weakened. He gently picked up Squall and threw him over his shoulder. Picking up Squall was easier then carrying a sack of potatoes.

"What the hell have you done to yourself, you idiot?" He muttered, making his way to Dr. Kadowski's infirmary.

Seifer winced as they placed Squall on a horizontal scale. 110 pounds. Shaking her head, Dr. Kadowski hooked Squall to a heart rate monitor and IV tube.

"I don't think it will be necessary to intubate him, but we'll need to keep him here." Seifer nodded, wondering how someone so strong could have become so weak.

"What happened? Why is so…" Seifer couldn't bring himself to say anything more. Something hurt in his chest, making him struggle for words. Seeing the pale man struggle for air was killing.

"Excuse me…" He blindly stumbled out into the main hallway.

_What the hell is going on? _He thought angrily. _ I come back and everything is all fucked! And what the hell is the matter with me, getting all emotional?_ He kicked at the ground, wishing he had Hyperion to tick against his shoulder.

"Seifer!" He turned to the sound of the voice. Xu was running towards him. "I heard the commander collapsed!" Seifer nodded, unable to keep the worry out of his voice.

"He's at the infirmary." Xu pondered for a moment.

"Keep an eye on him for me. I've got to let the others know." Seifer nodded. Steeling himself, he headed back in to see Squall.


End file.
